Mountain View police bust $500,000-plus marijuana grow operation

Thanks to an anonymous tip, police broke up a sophisticated marijuana grow operation in Mountain View and arrested three suspects Thursday.

Search warrants were simultaneously served at 3 p.m. at a warehouse on the 1100 block of Independence Avenue in Mountain View and at two homes in San Jose, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department.

Jaeger said more than 800 marijuana plants worth more than $500,000 were found inside the warehouse.

The operation was "extremely sophisticated," boasting specialized indoor lighting and filtration systems to develop seedlings into mature plants, according to a post on the police department's blog.

In San Jose, police reportedly found more than 30 pounds of dried and packed marijuana along with more than $10,000 in cash at a home on the 3100 block of Kirk Avenue. Several firearms were also seized, including one stolen from a Mountain View residence in 2010.

In addition, a "honey oil" lab was found at the home, police said. Such labs can be as dangerous as methamphetamine labs and are used to produce a highly concentrated form of marijuana.

A toddler who was in the temporary care of adults at the home was placed in protective custody, according to police.

Finally, at a home on the 1200 block of Branham Lane, police said they found a cache of illegal weapons, two of which were reported stolen, methamphetamine and two military-grade "flash bang/stun" grenades. The latter prompted a call to the San Jose Police Department's bomb squad.

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Arrested were 33-year-old Semir Metovic, 32-year-old Tito Hernandez and 29-year-old Abby Rose, all of San Jose.

They were booked into jail for a number of criminal offenses, including possession of marijuana for sale, cultivation, distribution, child endangerment, manufacture of a controlled substance, altering or removing a serial number on a firearm, possession of a destructive device, possession of stolen property and possession of a high-capacity magazine.

Police pointed to the anonymous tip they received about the marijuana grow operation as proof that their "see something, say something" campaign is working.

"This investigation was much more than just an illegal marijuana grow," Mountain View police Lt. Keith Plamondon said in the blog post. "Illegal weapons, some of which were stolen, and narcotics were recovered during the searches, highlighting the importance of the community's involvement in crime fighting."

Anyone with information about the alleged crimes is asked to call the Mountain View Police Department at 650-903-6344 and refer to case no. 14-3032. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call 650-961-5800.